Depending on the area of operation or the design of the lighting assembly, operating devices or converters are frequently provided in lighting assemblies to which respective lighting means of the lighting assemblies are connected. The lighting means can be light-emitting diodes (LEDs), for example, which are used more and more frequently as lighting means in various fields of lighting systems. LEDs have considerable advantages especially in terms of durability and energy efficiency compared with conventional lighting means, while also providing sufficient lighting intensity.
Corresponding operating devices are also used in lighting assemblies with other lighting means, wherein, regardless of the type of the lighting means, the operating device is designed and intended to supply the lighting means with a respective suitable current and to also control the lighting means accordingly.
Operating devices for LEDs as well as other lighting means often have different processing blocks that are connected with each other accordingly within an operating device. These processing blocks can be a Power Factor Correction block (PFC block), a buck converter, a step up converter or boost converter block, an insulated fly back converter block or a half-bridge block, preferably a resonant and/or insulated half-bridge block (HB/LLC block). The precise structure of such processing blocks as well as the use and interconnection within an operating device are already widely known, which is why they need not be further elaborated on here.
It should now be noted that such processing blocks are to be normally controlled, regardless of their function or type, by detecting or measuring a voltage within the processing block, for example, which is transmitted to a chip that can then control the respective processing block according to the voltage. Controllable switches or gates can be provided in the processing block for that purpose, which make it possible for the chip to control or regulate the processing block accordingly. Instead of controllable switches or gates, it is also known to control the processing block through the chip by other means.
As shown in FIG. 1 by way of example, several processing blocks 2 are provided in an operating device, wherein a chip 1 is assigned to each processing block 2 to control the respective processing block 2. It should be noted that processing blocks of different types are included in the operating device. As each processing block 2 requires a different actuation or control through the chip depending on its function, it is necessary that a distinct chip with a distinct inside structure or distinct connection must be provided for each type of processing block.
Chips or ICs that are primarily used today merely support a specific topology, i.e. a specific type of processing block. Accordingly, it is necessary, when using processing blocks of different types or with different functions, that a new chip be developed for each type of processing block, requiring considerable effort both during manufacturing and during the respective tests for the function and the like. It also requires more logistical effort because different types of chips must be kept available and in distribution.